Abrasive reamer



March 4, 1958 G. D. YERBY ABRASIVE REAMER Filed Oct. 4. 1956 I 'INVENTOR.

640v fi, l Zteay Unite States Pa ABRASIVE REAMER Glenn D. Yerby, Lawndale, Calif.

Application October 4, 1956, Serial No. 613,943

8 Claims. (Cl. 51-1842) This invention has to do with an abrasive reamer and particularly relates to the honing of the interior wall or surface of a bore, such for example as a drilled hole or the like, it being a general object of this invention to provide a simple inexpensive and extremely practical tool of the type referred to that is easy to use and which is flexible and effective in its use and operation.

This is a continuation in part of my application for Letters Patent Serial Number 567,324, filed February 23, 1956, entitled Abrasive Reamer, now abandoned.

There are many instances in machine shop practice when reaming or honing is required in order to clean, size, deburr, or otherwise finish a cylindrical bore, or the like. Various tools have been provided for this purpose, but they are usually too cumbersome to be accommodated in small diameter and elongated bores. The tool construc- ;tion that I provide is adapted to be used in connection with relatively small diameter bores, and further, is not only adaptable to bores of varying diameter but is also adjustable so as to the pressure applied to the abrasive :stones of the tool during operation or rotation thereof.

It is an object of this invention to provide an abrasive tool adapted to operate in relatively small diameter bores.

It is another object of this invention to provide an abrasive tool that is adapted to accommodate itself to bores varying substantially in diameter.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an abrasive tool that is adjustable while in operation to vary the working pressure applied laterally and outwardly against the abrasive stones of the tool, whereby the cutting or abrasive action thereof may be conveniently controlled.

The various objects and features of my invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description of a typical preferred form and application of my invention, throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the tool that I provide, showing the working elements thereof expanded. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the working elements thereof reacted. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the structure positioned as shown in Fig. 2, and showing the lower end portion thereof entered into a bore. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailed view taken in the direction of lines 4-4 on Fig. l, and Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional views taken as indicated by lines 5--5 and 6--6 on Fig. 3. 1

The tool of the present invention may be used either as a hand or a machine operated rotary tool and it is particularly adapted to provide for the honing or reaming of bores that are too small in diameter for employment of the tools that are ordinarily available. In many instances it is desirable to remove only a small amount of material from the interior surface of a bore, or to smoothly finish said surface, in which case a tool of the characterherein referred to is desired to be employed. The tool of the present invention is easily accommodated in small bores, even though said bores may vary somewhat in diameter and it may be hand operated or it may be power operated, as by a drill-press, or like machine tool. For example, a tool made in accordance with the present invention is flexible in that it will accommodate itself to bores varying from A3 inch to /2 inch in diameter, and similarly for tools made for bores of other sizes.

In the drawings I have illustrated a typical embodiment of the abrasive reamer or tool of the present invention, and which involves, generally, a frame A, a pair of shiftable legs B, a pair of actuating arms C, one for each leg B, and an actuator D engageable with the arms C. The frame A is the main structural element of the mechanism and forms a support that carries the other elements thereof. The frame A is elongate, and is normally vertically disposed, and the legs B depend from the lower end thereof to carry abrasive stones S. The arms are engaged with the legs and are adapted to position the legs depending upon the position of the actuator D. The actuator D is a manually engageable element that is shiftable to adjust the tool as hereinafter described.

The frame A may vary as circumstances require and is shown as a simple straight elongate element having a cylindrical outer wall it). The upper shank portion 11 of the frame A is adapted to be engaged for rotation of the tool and the lower portion 12 thereof is adapted to mount and carry the legs B, arms C and actuator D. In accordance with the invention, the lower portion 12 of the frame A is tubular in cross section and has a straight cylindrical bore 13. The bore 13 is shown terminating at a bottom 14. The lower terminal end 15 of the frame A is normal to the central axis thereof and the lower end portion of the frame is characterized by a pair of openings 16. The openings 16 are longitudinally disposed slot shaped openings located diametrically opposite each other and are provided to accommodate the arms C, later described. As shown, the openings 16 have fiat parallel opposed side Walls 1'7.

The legs B are positioned diametrically opposite each other to occur at or underlie the openings 16. As shown, the legs are elongate parts that extend into the bore 13 and also depend a substantial distance from the lower end 15 of the frame A. The legs are alike, and may be considered identical, and each is a resilient spring like part anchored in the bore 13 of the frame, and with its lower end part 24) biased to be urged outwardly or radially. Each leg B has an upper portion 21 anchored in the frame A at or near the bottom 14 of the bore 13 and the lower end parts of the legs are disposed to be parallel with each other and with the longitudinal axis of the tool when adjusted to the normal diameter for which the particular tool is designed.

The legs are each made of spring steel, or the like, rectangular in cross section with the flat inner sides of the two legs positioned diametrically opposite each other. As shown, in Fig. 6, the width of the legs is somewhat less than the diameter of the bore 13 to the end that they are advantageously spaced apart to have their outside corners engaged with said bore. In practice, the two legs maybe joined at their upper ends by an integral cross member 22 and the legs are spaced by said member 22 to be press fitted in the bore 13.

The upper portions 21 of the legs B extend downwardly and inwardly toward each other from the top ends thereof and converge to contact each other at 23. The point of contact 23 is coincidental with the central axis of the structure and is a point located at about the lower end of the frame A. The legs B have intermediate portions 24 that extend between and connect the upper and lower portions 21 and 2d, the portions 24 diverging as they extend downwardly. The legs B are essentially spring elements shaped so that the lower end parts 20 of the two legs, respectively, are yieldingly urged apart. In practice, the legs are made to exert the maximum outward,

or radial pressure that is to be exerted against the lower end parts 20.

Theyabrasive stones S are carried by the legs B there being a stone S carried on thelower end part 20 of each leg. As clearly shownin Figs. 3 and of the drawings the two stones S are alike and are oppositely, faced and each is an elongate vertically disposed element having anarcuate outer wall 25 and an inner wall 26 adapted to be secured to the leg B. In the case illustrated I provide a recess or channel 27 in the wall 26 that receives the lower end part of the leg B to the end that the stone S is carried by the leg B that engages in said channel. In practice, a suitable cement is applied to secure the stones S in position.

.The arms C are positioned diametrically opposite each other, like the legs B, to occur at or underly the openings 16, there being an, arm C overlying each leg B. The arms C are elongate parts that extend into the bore 13 and also depend from the lower end 15 of the frame A. The arms are alike and each may be considered identical with the other, and each is a resilient spring like part anchored in the bore 13 of the frame and with its lower end part 30 biased to be urged inwardly into engagement with the outside of the leg B which it overlies. Each arm C has an upper portion 31 anchored in the frame A at or near the bottom 14 of the bore 13 and the lower end portion 30 of the arm is curved outwardly and then inwardly to engage with the leg, preferably below the intermediate portion 24 of the leg. The parts 30 are outwardly bowed cam shaped parts and terminate in a bottom end 34 that is normal to the axis of the structure. The arms C are substantial so that when moved against the legs B they will act to depress the legs inwardly.

The arms are each made of spring steel, or the like, rectangular in cross section with the fiat inner sides of the two arms engaged fiat against the legs B at the upper end portion thereof. As shown in Fig. 6, the width of the arms C is substantially less than the width of the legs B to the end that they are advantageously positioned to have outside corner engagement with the bore 13. In practice, the two armsmay be joined like the legs B, by an integral cross member 33 and positioned to be press fitted in the bore 13. If desired, a cement can be applied at 35 to further secure or assure fastening or anchoring of the legs B and arms C in the frame A.

The actuator D that I have provided is in the form of a simple sleeve 40 that is freely and slidably carried over the exterior of the frame A. The sleeve 40 issubstantially elongate but considerably shorter in length than the frame A. The ends of the sleeve 40 are open so that the sleeve can pass the frame and the lower end 41 thereof is normal to the central axis of the tool. In accordance with the invention the lower portions 3t of the arms C project outwardly beyond the diameter of the frame A in a gentle inclined curve and are adapted to have cam engagement with the inner bore 43 of the sleeve. When the sleeve 40 is lowered and forced onto the incl ined portions of the arms C, the lower ends 34 of the arms engage the legs B to apply a depressing pressure against the legs. In practice, I proportion the arms C to be substantially weaker in spring tension than the legs B when in the normal unactuated position shown in Fig. 1. The outward pressure of the legs B against the stones S is lessened as desired depending upon the vertical position of the sleeve'40 relative to the lower portion 36 of the arms C, which controls the pressure exerted inwardly by the arms C.

From the foregoing it willbe apparent that I have provided an extremely simple and practical tool of the character above referred to, The shank of the tool may be driven by a drill press during which operation the "actuator D: may be manually engaged and movedor lowered depending' upon the pressure desired in applying the stones S to the work being acted upon. I have shown an ordinary clutch for operating the tool.

In actual practice the sleeve can be held stationary while the frame and other elements rotate, however, I may employ an anti-friction device adapted to be engaged by hand and which allows the sleeve 40 to rotate. As illustrated, a ball bearing unit is pressed onto the sleeve 40, preferably at the upper end thereof, the outer race of which is manually engaged to position the sleeve 4% The openings 16 at the lower end of the frame A have driving engagement with the arms, the bowed lower end portions 30.01? the arms being engaged between the parallel side walls 17 of said openings. The legs B are of substantial length to the end that the tool will reach to a substantial depth in a bore.

Having described only a typical preferred form of my invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any variations or modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. An abrasive tool of the character described including, an elongate frame, legs depending from the lower end of the frame, an abrasive stone carried at the lower end of each leg, arms depending from the lower end of the frame and engaged with and adapted to shift the legs, and an actuator carried by and shiftable longitudinally of the frame and engaged with and adapted to depress the arms inwardly to shift the legs.

2. An abrasive tool of the character described including, an elongate frame, outwardly and radially biased legs depending from the lower end of the frame, an abrasive stone carried at the lower end of each leg, arms depending from the lower end of the frame and engaged with and adapted to shift the legs inwardly and having outwardly projecting cam portions, and an actuator carried by and shiftable longitudinally of the frame and engaged with said outwardly projecting cam portions of the arms and adapted to depress the arms inwardly to shift the legs.

3. An abrasive tool of the character described including, an elongate frame, outwardly and radially biased legs depending from the lower end of the frame, an abrasive stone carried at the lower end of each leg, arms depending from the lower end of the frame and inwardly and radially biased to engage the legs to urge them' inwardly and having outwardly projecting cam portions, and an actuator carried by and shiftable longitudinally of the frame and engaged with said outwardly projecting cam portions of the arms and adapted to depress the arms inwardly to increase the inward bias thereof to thereby decrease the outward bias of the legs.

4. An abrasive tool of the character described including, an elongate frame, a pair of outwardly and radially biased legs depending from the lower end of the frame, an abrasive stone carried at the lower end of each leg, 21 pair of arms depending from the lower ends of the frame and biased to engage the legs to urge them inwardly, and an actuator shiftably carried by the frame and engaged with and adapted to depress the arms inwardly to increase the bias applied to the legs, there being an anti-friction unit carried by the sleeveand with a free rotating outer member manually engageable to position the sleeve.

5. An abrasive tool of the character described includ ing, an elongate frame with a bore entering the lower end thereof, a pair of outwardly and radially biased legs anchored in the bore to extend and depend from the lower end of the frame, an abrasive stone carried at the lower end of each leg, a pair of arms anchored in the bore ot extend and depend from the lower endof the frame and biased to engage the legs to urge them inwardly, and an actuatorshiftably carried by the frame and engaged with and adapted to depress die arms inwardly -to increase the bias applied'to the legs.

6. An abrasive tool of the character described including, an elongate frame with a bore entering the lower end thereof and a pair of lateral openings at the lower end portion of the frame and entering the bore, a pair of outwardly and radially biased legs anchored in the bore to extend and depend from the lower end of the frame, an abrasive stone carried at the lower end of each leg, a pair of arms anchored in the bore and engaged with said openings to extend and depend from the lower end of the frame and biased to engage the legs to urge them inwardly, and an actuator shiftably carried by the frame and engaged with and adapted to depress the arms inwardly to increase the bias applied to the legs.

7. An abrasive tool of the character described including, an elongate frame with a bore entering the lower end thereof, a pair of outwardly and radially biased legs anchored in the bore to extend and depend from the lower end of the frame, an abrasive stone carried at the lower end of each leg, a pair of arms anchored in the bore to extend and depend from the lower end of the 20 frame and biased to engage the legs to urge them inwardly, and an actuator shiftably carried by the frame and engaged with and adapted to depress the arms inwardly to increase the bias applied to the legs, there being a transverse member spacing the legs and arms in the bore.

8. An abrasive tool of the character described including, an elongate frame with a bore entering the lower end thereof, a pair of outwardly and radially biased legs anchored in the bore to extend and depend from the lower end of the frame, an abrasive stone carried at the lower end of each leg, a pair of arms anchored in the bore to extend and depend from the lower end of the frame and biased to engage the legs to urge them inwardly, and a tubular actuator shiftably carried over the frame and with a lower end portion engaged with and adapted to depress the arms inwardly to increase the bias applied to the legs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

